Mid Term Paper

What are the etymological problems about the definitions of morality and
ethics. Discuss
Answer: Actually there is no clear distinction between this two terms. We use the one in place
of another. Meanings of this terms can change in different hands for example, different
thinkers can use this terms in different meanings. But in general, we use ethics as meaning of
philosophy of ethics. So, ethic means, field of moral sciences. We use morals as practice of
ethics. On the other hand, ethics is more linked with group or culture and society in details.
Morals is more individual. İt is about what is right or wrong. As a result, now we use ethics
more as a specific area about philosophy, morals is more general term.
How Greek philosophers construct a relationship between ethics and
happiness?
Answer: They say, ethics linked with happiness in very strong way. Because being
courageous, moderate and just is linked with happiness. Everyone wants to be happy so who
understand relation between ethics and happiness, will want to be virtuous. This claim built
on two ideas. First, human perfection is a good of soul, not a material or bodily good as
richness or power. Happiness is’nt something external. It is about inside, psychological good.
Second idea is, the most vital good of the soul is ethic virtues. The one can be very good as
psychologically by being virtuous. So if we want to happy, we should be virtuous according
to Greek philosophers.

Normative ethics:
Normative ethics is part of ethics that concerned with what is morally right or wrong. It
involves, formulation of moral rules that have direct implications for what human actions and
ways of life should like be. Also normative ethics is more evaluative rather than descriptive.

Eudaimonia
İt means happiness in ancient Greek but it has a certain meaning. Happiness is a general
feeling about contentment in life. For example, I can say, I feel happy right now, from the
way I look to life, this means general feeling in life. I feel contentment in general, it is about
my looking. But also I can use like this, I am happy, my work is going well. In here it is not
general, I didn’t explain my happiness with a general thing, I built this on my successful
activity. Eudaimonia is more closer to second meaning.

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